


Hurt

by xsticknoodlesx



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Blood and Injury, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, The Losers Club (IT) Help Henry Bowers, Whump, might add another chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:48:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21723250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xsticknoodlesx/pseuds/xsticknoodlesx
Summary: After seeing Henry horribly beat up before school, Richie and Eddie later find him crying in the bathroom, trying to treat his wounds. They gather up Bill and Stan, and together they help him.
Relationships: Henry Bowers & The Losers Club (IT)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26





	Hurt

**Author's Note:**

> I don't quite know if this qualifies as whump but I think it does.  
> This contains references and the aftermath of child abuse by Henry's father to him. Just as a warning.  
> I'm sorry I'm so bad at titles lately. (Maybe I'll change it later on)
> 
> Enjoy ^^

When Stan saw Belch’s car pull up in front of the school, he expected that Henry and his goons were going to jump out and taunt him and his friends yet again. He knew his friends thought the same thing because Bill froze at the realisation that Belch had parked only a few meters from them, Eddie took a few steps closer to Richie and said boy looked around nervously. Stan was just glad that Ben and Beverly weren’t there, yet.

What he didn’t expect was to see Belch getting out of the car and opening the door for Henry who almost crawled out of his friend’s car, supporting himself on the car door. Henry looked horrible; his face was bruised, his nose was bleeding and he was limping. Victor and Patrick got out of the backseat and immediately went to stare Stan and his friends down, daring them to make a comment.

Bill turned away from Henry’s gang first, looking at his friends. “Let’s head to cla- class.”

Richie nodded, not able to take his eyes off Henry. “Yeah, we should.”

He began to walk, still staring at the older boy and Eddie pulled at his arm to stop him from walking into a flag pole. “Stop staring.” The smaller boy hissed.

Richie’s head snapped to Eddie. “Sorry.”

Stan said nothing until they were all inside the school, away from the bullies. “Henry looked horrible.”

“Yeah, what else is new?” Richie snorted.

“Probably his dad.” Eddie said in a quiet voice.

Richie shook his head. “Who knows what goes down in the Bowers household.”

“Ch-child abuse.” Bill managed to get out and everyone looked at him.

“Who says Henry didn’t start a fight with some random guy that ended up being stronger than him?” Richie questioned. “Maybe he started the fight with his dad.”

Bill looked a little taken aback. “B-butch shouldn’t hit him back. You don’t hi-hit your kids.”

“Yeah, Richie. Bill’s kind of right.” Eddie looked up at his friend.

“Sorry, but Henry’s a real asshole and you all know it. He probably picked a fight with some upperclassman and got his ass handed back to him.” Richie shrugged. “I don’t really pity the guy that showed Eddie into a locker and sent him into an asthma attack.”

“But he’s injured and I doubt his goons know how to take care of that.” Eddie argued.

“How is that our problem?” Stan asked softly. “He can go to the nurse if he needs to.”

“I just feel a bit bad for him.” Eddie mumbled. “He looked like he was going to cry.”

Bill eventually shook his head. “He’ll be alright. Let’s just get to class.”

\---

Their first class of the day went by without much happening. Bill wondered why Henry wasn’t in class but Eddie argued that he was probably skipping class again. For their second class, they had to split up due to not all being in the same class. Richie and Eddie had Chemistry class while Bill had English and Stan had History. 

Most of the lesson went by without and incident until someone’s Chemistry experiment blew up. It wasn’t all to bad, after the teacher had opened a window, but it was enough to trigger an asthma attack in Eddie. The teacher had instructed him to go into the hall or bathroom and asked Richie to go along and to call her if they needed help.

That’s how Richie ended up escorting Eddie to the bathrooms to calm down. When they opened the door, they heard quiet whimpering before whoever it was quieted down.

“Hello?” Eddie called out in a raspy voice – even with using his inhaler and calming down a bit, his throat had suffered from the coughing.

When there was no answer, Richie tried his luck. “Hey, who is in here? Are you okay? Wanna come out?”

Both of the boys waited for a reply but when none came, Eddie motioned at the wall of the stall next to the one that was inhabiting the crying person. Richie got the idea of peaking over the wall and both of them tip-toed into the empty stall. Luckily, they managed to both fit on the toilet. 

When they peered over the wall, they were shocked to find Henry.

He was sitting on the closed toilet seat, shaking and trying to dab at his still lightly bleeding nose. His eyes were blood-shot and he looked positively pathetic. 

When Eddie made a small noise of shock, Henry looked up and immediately jumped up, just to wince and angle his left leg to get his weight off it.

“Get lost!” He yelled at the two boys.

“Or what?” Richie laughed. “You’ll chase us with a hurt foot? Or are you going to cry about us seeing you?”

“Richie.” Eddie chided him. “Stop that.”

Henry glared at them but his angry look quickly changed back into crying before he sunk to his knees, burying his face in his hands. Eddie and Richie shared a concerned and confused look.

“Henry.” Eddie tried in a soft voice. “If you unlock the door we can help you.”

“Fuck off!” Henry barked at them through his sobs.

“I-I’m no doctor but I know what to do about a nose bleed.” Eddie tried again. “Just unlock the door and we’ll help you clean up and treat your- your wounds.”

Henry went quiet for a few seconds before he relented and unlocked the door. “If you tell anyone about his, I- I swear you won’t ever- I will fucking-”

“Relax.” Richie mumbled as he jumped off the toilet and went around to the other cubicle, closely followed by Eddie. “You don’t beat me up and I won’t tell.”

Eddie oped the stall door and crouched down in front of Henry. “Hey there.”

“Don’t talk to me like I’m a- a scared fucking animal!” Henry hissed – not very menacingly given his current position.

“Oh, cut the crap, Bowers!” Richie snapped at him. “Would prefer him insulting you or yelling?”

“No yelling!” Henry suddenly exclaimed, fear in his eyes. “Please, no yelling and no hitting and-”

“We won’t hurt you.” Eddie reasoned. “How about Richie goes to get some help and I get started with cleaning up your face a bit?”

“N-no teachers.” Henry demanded.

“No teachers.” Richie nodded. “I’m going to get Bill and Stan to help us but they won’t tell anyone either. I just need to figure out a way to tell them without their teachers noticing.”

“Write a note and hold it up against the window in the door.” 

Richie smiled at Henry’s suggestion. “That’s a pretty smart idea, Henry. Good job.”

He didn’t miss the way Henry’s posture relaxed at those words and the small smile on his lips. Richie quickly left to find a piece of paper and a pen before going to get Bill and Stan. Eddie stayed back with Henry.

“What happened to you?”

“You know that.”

“Your dad?” Eddie whispered as he stood back up and held out a hand. “Did you two fight or something?”

Henry got up and pushed Eddie’s hand away before he limped over to the sink. “Fight? No that- that would mean equal fucking chances. He was in a bad mood and- and I was there. Convenient, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s horrible.”

“It’s what he does.”

“It’s not right, Henry.”

“I’m a fucking shit kid, okay? I’m lazy, I’m a shitty person, I’m failing half my classes and I’m a disappointment?”

“In a good environment, you’d be more likely to reach your full potential and pass your classes, you know? You need a support system, teachers that care for you and friends that help you out.” Eddie explained dutifully. “Speaking of which, where are your friends?”

“Vic and Belch are in class.” Henry mumbled. “I don’t know where Hockstetter is and I don’t care, either.”

“Nice of them to leave you to cry in the bathroom all alone.” Eddie said sarcastically.

“What do you want them to do?” Henry turned to Eddie. “You want them to patch me up? Want us to hug it out and cuddle the sad away? You want them to- to hold me- hold me tightly and tell me that they’re there for me?”

Henry hadn’t even realised he was crying again at those words and Eddie felt his heart break for the other boy. Sure, he was a horrible asshole but he had no one that cared for him, no one that helped him. Belch and Vic probably helped him a bit, to be fair, but they surely weren’t there now.

“Yes, that’s what friends do.”

“Maybe if you’re all sissies.” Henry scoffed through his tears.

“Henry.” Eddie said in a sad voice. “I-”

Henry shook his head quickly, angrily wiping at his eyes and wincing when he touched the bruises and cuts on his face. “Just patch me up and leave me alone, will you?”

Eddie nodded and went to grab a bit of tissue paper. He then instructed Henry to sit down before he put the paper in his nose. After that, Eddie went to wet a bit of paper with old water and place it in Henry’s neck. Henry pinched at his nose and put his head back to which Eddie chided him for it. The older boy stopped and put his head back down. 

“Good, your nose should stop bleeding soon. If not, you should see the nurse or a doctor.” Eddie mumbled. “Let’s see those cuts. I’ll clean them up a bit. Maybe Richie can get us some band-aids later.”

Henry nodded quietly, watching Eddie’s every move with teary eyes. He only winced a bit when the smaller boy cleaned the cuts and didn’t argue when he went to wipe the few tears that had escaped from his eyes.

When he was about to move to Henry’s foot, the door opened. Henry quickly turned his head away but relaxed when it was only Richie, Stan and Bill.

Richie grinned a bit and held up an ice-pack. “I got it by telling the nurse I hit my head. She insisted on checking for a concussion which is why I’m late. I’m also late because Stan over there didn’t see me and Bill in the door.”

Stan laughed a bit nervously. “I was paying attention to class.”

Bill looked down at Henry. “W-what happened?”

“His dad.” Eddie explained. “I took care of his nose and the cuts on his face. None of you happen to have bandaids, right?”

“I actually brought some when I read ‘Medical emergency in the bathroom’ on Richie’s sign. I got some in my bag for emergencies.” Stan explained and held them up.

“Good.” Eddie nodded. “Now, how about I put one on the big cut on your forehead, then one on your cheek and then we look at your ankle, yes?”

Henry nodded, unsure of what to do. The boys were all fussing around him, Bill and Eddie putting bandaids on his face while Richie put the ice-pack on his ankle and Stan kept asking if he needed anything else. To finally have someone genuinely care for him, even if it was just out of basic human decency was nice. He felt another onslaught of tears but tried to fight back. Bill noticed.

“You can cry if- if you need to.” He said softly. “It’s okay.”

Henry shook his head but when Bill started to awkwardly rub his back, he broke down sobbing again, cursing himself for being this weak. But none of them laughed at him, mocked him or threatened him over it. 

“Okay, your face is all patched up.” Eddie said contently. “The bruises will take a few days to heal but it’ll be fine. Let’s look at your ankle.”

Eddie and Richie went to look at his ankle while Bill kept rubbing his back and Stan checked to see that no one was coming to the bathroom. Henry winced as Richie picked up his foot and started moving it.

“Sorry.” The bespeckled boy mumbled. “Can you move it on your own?”

Henry nodded and showed them, although he winced in pain. “Yeah.”

“It’s not broken. I mean you were walking on it, too. It looks sprained to me.” Eddie explained softly.

“I know what a sprained and broken ankle looks like.” Stan mumbled. “It’s sprained.”

“Then keeping it still, not putting too much pressure on it and cooling it will help.” Eddie explained. “That means we're done.”

“Unless you have other injuries?” Bill asked, leaning his head to the side.

“Nothing fresh.” Henry shrugged, gesturing widely behind himself. “My back but that’s old news.”

Bill quickly pulled his hand from Henry’s back. “Wha-what happened to your back?”

“A belt.”

“Oh, shit.” Richie grumbled. “What the hell is wrong with your old man?”

“Shut up.” Henry mumbled, moving to pull his uninjured leg to his chest and hold it there with his arms. “You’re done. Leave me alone.”

“Do you have a safe place to go to after school?”

“I’ll just go home.”

“I said safe!” Eddie insisted. “Can you go to Belch or Victor or Patrick?”

“Victor’s parents aren't great on having people over, Belch is visiting his grandma or something like that and I’m not staying at fucking Hockstetter’s house. So I’ll be going home.” Henry mumbled from where he had his face buried in his arms.

“But your dad.” Bill said quietly.

“Maybe if I’m in my room by the time he comes back, he’ll leave me alone.”

Bill looked up at his three friends in worry. Stan looked back at him in fear and Eddie and Richie shared a look. Bill then nodded his head as he got an idea.

“You ca-can stay at one of our houses. May-maybe not Eddie because his mom is a bit peculiar about it b-but everyone else’s parents should be fine.” Bill declared.

“You can totally stay at my house. My parents don’t care.” Richie proclaimed. “If you don’t fucking bully me, you can stay as long as you want.”

“Yeah, sure.” Henry snorted. “Now I’ll agree to it so you can laugh at me.”

“I’m fucking serious, dude.” 

“And I’m the damn Queen of England!”

“Then you are formally invited to stay at my house, your Majesty.” Richie said and bowed a little. It was a joke, of course, but his intentions were completely serious and Henry seemed to notice.

“Thanks.” 

“Okay, how about we get back to class and after school, we get you something for your back?” Eddie suggested. “Beverly and Ben will come, too. Then we’ll go to your house and get a change of clothes for when you stay at Richie’s.”

“Thanks.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this. Comments and Kudos are always appreciated.
> 
> I'm probably going to write another chapter or two of the Losers taking care of Henry, but let me know if you would be interested in that, too.
> 
> See you ^^


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